winning rejuvenated our fan base.
...thanks to Michael Beasley.
yeah. but they'd have been just as enthused about some guy who had no nba possibilities beating a big 12 filled with other players with no nba possibilities.
the idea that the popularity of college bball is dependent on having future nba players is false.
assuming that the quality of athletes doesnt drop beyond a certain level you are absolutely correct.
Sys is spot on with the popularity. Winning makes you more popular regardless of talent-level. Let these kids go pro or to the D-League if they want. With the top college players of today in the D-League, many of us would watch it AND college hoops. Workers, in almost every case, should be able to sell their skills in whatever labor market they choose. This is Amer-kuh damn it!
I will say the current system does exploit student athletes. Considering their scholarships are not guaranteed and considering that big time college sports are nothing more than an entertainment industry. Frank Martin, John Currie, and LHC Bill Snyder, although they may publicly say differently, don't really give a damn about their players' academics except for keeping them eligible to be on the field/court. Yes, they may hold some personal sentiments for an individual(s), but institutionally there is really no incentive to care that much. Their salaries are in no way tied to academic acheivement, therefore they spend 99% of their time concerning themselves with athletics. And why wouldn't they? It is strategic.
This is why I'd advocate letting the one and dones go pro if they want, give guaranteed scholarships, tie coaches salaries more to academic achievement, and quit spending millions to send State U all over the country to play sports. Make the NCAA Tourney and bowls where teams play more out of their region. Anyways, this is a pipe dream, but I'd prefer an NCAA that actually helps colleges accomplish their stated missions, rather than being a detriment. At almost every school student fees subsidize big time athletics, which is a crime, IMO.